Bogen Manfrotto

Bogen Manfrotto

By Anne Ahira

Bogen Manfrotto is one of the leading producers of lighting equipment for the motion picture, photographic, and entertainment industries.

They offer a full range of products from lighting support and control to suspension, mounting and rigging.

The company also provides smaller accessories like stands, clamps, brackets, bars, arms, grip head systems, and much, much more. All of these products are manufactured in Italy where the company was founded.

History

The Bogen Manfrotto story began in the late sixties when a photo reporter by the name of Lino Manfrotto was working for one of Venice’s top magazines. He was also employed as a freelance photographer who worked in advertising.

But while Manfrotto loved his job as it was his true passion, he found many flaws with the equipment that was provided for him by the studios. Not only did he find it unwieldy and heavy, but he also believed that it made his job harder; and that is not what good equipment is supposed to do.

Manfrotto simply could not believe that this was the best photographer’s equipment the market had to offer. He was especially critical of the basic accessories like booms, clamps and stands, which had remained essentially unchanged for decades. Why lighting equipment companies had neglected these important pieces of equipment was beyond him.

And since he knew the industry as well as anyone, he set about sketching designs for his first products, which included an adjustable lamp stand that could be used by working photographers.

But before he founded Bogen Manfrotto, the he spent several years giving away his modified equipment to his photographer friends. These experienced professionals were the few to note the many benefits of his wares and they encouraged him to go into business for himself.

A short time later, Manfrotto received his first significant order from a Swiss distributor who had learned of his innovative products through simple word of mouth. Still, the budding businessmen worked alone in his small garage-cum-workshop.

It was not until he met a young technician by the name of Gilberto Battocchio, that the Bogen Manfrotto became a reality. The two made an excellent team as Manfrotto perfected the products and his new partner tested them and sold them to investors and clients.

The pair’s first major success was the Manfrotto tripod, which was released in 1974. It was versatile, lightweight and was viewed as a significant step forward in tripod technology.

In no time at all these devices were selling out and experts and industry insiders were raving about them. The next year Bogen Manfrotto was officially established.

Only eleven years later, the company had 6 full service plants, 5 of which had been built in only two years. Bogen Manfrotto was officially a success and they had plans to continue their rapid expansion.

These days Bogen Manfrotto is recognized as one of the top lighting and accessories manufactures in the world. They have a vast distribution networks which includes over 140 countries and they are even listed on the London Stock Exchange. Currently the company has about a thousand employees and eight leading brands.

Here's Bogen Manfrotto Selections:

Manfrotto 200PL-14 RC2 Rapid Connect Mounting Plat...	Customer Review: Click Here for More Info
Manfrotto 035RL Super Clamp with 2908 Standard Stu...	Customer Review: Click Here for More Info
DMKFoto Super Clamp with Flex Arm...	Customer Review: Click Here for More Info	$69.99
Bogen 030-14 Quick Release Plate (Formerly 3049)...	Customer Review: Click Here for More Info
Manfrotto 577 Rapid Connect Adapter w/Sliding Moun...	Customer Review: Click Here for More Info	$62.78